U.S. patent number 5,236,383 [Application Number 07/800,179] was granted by the patent office on 1993-08-17 for illuminated toy ball.
This patent grant is currently assigned to I & K Trading Corporation. Invention is credited to Keith Connelly.
United States Patent |
5,236,383 |
Connelly |
August 17, 1993 |
Illuminated toy ball
Abstract
A toy ball of increased play value is provided and includes a
sphere. A light source is disposed within the sphere. A switch
disposed within the sphere activates the light source when the ball
is impacted such as when it is bounced.
Inventors: |
Connelly; Keith (Ithaca,
NY) |
Assignee: |
I & K Trading Corporation
(Vienna, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
25177677 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/800,179 |
Filed: |
November 27, 1991 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/219; 446/397;
446/485; 473/570; 473/571; 473/576 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
43/007 (20130101); A63B 43/06 (20130101); A63B
43/00 (20130101); A63B 2208/12 (20130101); A63B
2071/0625 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
43/00 (20060101); A63B 43/06 (20060101); A63H
033/22 (); A63H 033/26 (); A63B 043/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/58C,58E,58F,58G,58H
;446/242,485,397,219 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yu; Mickey
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Blum Kaplan
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toy ball comprising a hollow sphere; light source means
disposed within said sphere for illuminating said sphere, said
light source means providing diffused light about the interior of
said sphere; stitching means for selectively activating said light
source means in response to said sphere receiving an impact, and
light source driving means coupled between said switching means and
said light source means for receiving an input from said switching
means when said sphere is impacted and activating said light source
means for a predetermined time period, said light source driving
means oscillating said light source means between an illuminated
state and a non-illuminated state during said predetermined time
period, the length of said predetermined time period being
independent of the input from said switching means.
2. The toy ball of claim 1, further comprising a rod affixed to
said sphere.
3. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said light source driving means
includes a capacitor and drain, said light source driving means
activating said light source means for a time period equal to a
time period during which said capacitor drains.
4. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said light source driving means
oscillates said light source means at a rate slower than the
persistence of vision.
5. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said sphere is formed with a
channel therein and further comprising plug assembly means disposed
within said channel said plug assembly means including a housing
for supporting said light source means, switching means and light
source driving means therein.
6. The toy ball of claim 5, wherein said housing is transparenta nd
further comprising an opaque pattern formed on said housing for
forming images on said sphere.
7. The toy ball of claim 6, wherein said sphere is translucent.
8. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said sphere is formed of a
material which exhibits resilient elastic deformation.
9. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said light source means is a
lenseless LED.
10. The toy ball of claim 1, wherein said sphere is translucent and
further comprising a transparent housing, said light source means
being disposed within said housing and an opaque pattern formed on
said housing for forming images on said sphere.
11. The toy ball of claim 1, further comprising an elastic cord
coupled to said sphere.
12. The toy ball of claim 1, further comprising sound source means
disposed within said sphere for generating sound, said switching
means selectively causing said sound source means to generate a
sound when said ball is impacted.
13. The toy ball of claim 12, further comprising an elastic cord
coupled to said sphere.
14. The toy bal of claim 12, further comprising a rod affixed to
said sphere.
15. The toy ball of claim 11, further comprising sound source
driving means coupled between said switching means and said sound
source means for receiving an input from said switching means when
said ball is impacted and activating said sound source means for a
predetermined time period.
16. A toy ball comprising a hollow sphere; light source means
disposed within said sphere for illuminating said sphere, said
light source means providing diffused light about the interior of
said sphere; sound source means for generating a sound; switching
means for selectively activating said light source means and casing
said sound source means to generate a sound in response to said
sphere receiving an impact; light source and sound source driving
means coupled between said switching means, said sound source and
and said light source means for receiving an input from said
switching means in response to said ball receiving an impact and
activating said light source means and said sound source means for
a predetermined time period; said light source and sound source
driving means including a capacitor and drain the length of said
predetermined time period being independent of the input of said
switching means; said sphere being translucent and said light
source driving means oscillating said light source means between an
illuminated state and a non-illuminated state during the
predetermined time period; and further comprising a transparent
housing in said sphere, said light source means being disposed in
said housing; and an opaque pattern formed on said housing for
forming images on said sphere.
17. The toy ball of claim 16, wherein said sphere is formed of a
material which exhibits resilient elastic deformation.
18. The toy ball of claim 16, wherein said light source means
includes a lenseless LED.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally directed to a toy ball, and in
particular to a toy ball which reacts to being bounced by emitting
a light or a sound.
Toy balls are well known in the art and are one of the most basic
toys for children. Balls have come in varying sizes with varying
appearances for hundreds of years. Generally, balls are spherical
and are either hollow or solid and formed of materials which allows
resilient plastic deformation resulting in a bouncing ball.
Henceforth, it has been believed that the physical action of the
ball was sufficient to capture a child's attention. However, after
a low number of repetitions bouncing a ball becomes tedious,
resulting in dissipation of the child's interest. Accordingly, a
toy ball which provides increased play value is desired
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, in accordance with the instant invention, a toy
ball includes a translucent sphere. A light source is disposed
within the sphere. A motion switch is coupled to the light source
and is mounted within the sphere for turning the light source on in
response to the sphere impacting on an object.
In a preferred embodiment, a sound source is also coupled to the
motion switch so that a sound is caused to be generated
simultaneously with the light. Additionally, a housing is provided
for the light source, the housing being transparent and having an
opaque pattern formed on portions thereon causing the pattern to be
projected on the interior of the sphere.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an
improved toy ball.
A further object of the instant invention is to provide a toy ball
with an increased play value.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a toy ball
which encourages play over an extended period of time.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be
obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the
scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to
the following description, taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy ball constructed in
accordance with a first embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a toy ball constructed in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a toy ball constructed in
accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 6 is a toy ball constructed in accordance with a third
embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the light illuminating/sound
generating circuit utilized in connection with the toy ball
constructed in accordance with the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is first made to FIGS. 1-4, wherein an illuminated toy
ball, generally indicated as 10, constructed in accordance with the
instant invention is depicted. Illuminated ball 10 includes a
translucent sphere 12. A plug assembly 14 is fixedly disposed in
sphere 12. A cord 16 couples a ring 18 to plug assembly 14.
In an exemplary embodiment, sphere 12 is hollow and is formed with
side walls 30 forming a channel therein at one portion. Plug
assembly 14 is disposed within the channel formed by side walls 30
forming an airtight seal with sphere 12 allowing inflation of
sphere 12. Plug assembly 14 may be retained in place by tension fit
or by an adhesive such as glue or the like. Sphere 12 is formed of
a material exhibiting resilient elastic deformation causing sphere
12 to bounce upon impact with a solid object such as a wall, a
floor or the hand of the user. Although not necessary for
operation, in an exemplary embodiment, cord 16 is provided and is
formed of an elastic material so that when sphere 12 is forced away
from ring 18, elastic cord 16 will stretch and then contract
returning sphere 12 toward rings 18.
Plug assembly 14 includes a housing 20 formed of a transparent
material. Housing 20 is received by the channel formed by side
walls 30. As seen, in an exemplary embodiment, side walls 30 may be
stepped or formed in some other formation. Housing 20 is shaped to
be received by side wall 30 and therefore is also formed in a
stepped pattern. A printed circuit board 22 (the back of which is
shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and the circuit of which is shown in FIG. 7) is
disposed within housing 20. A lenseless light emitting diode (LED)
32 is mounted on printed circuit board 22 and operated by the
circuitry of printed circuit board 22. A battery 78 (FIG. 7) is
also mounted on printed circuit board 22 and provides power for
driving LED 32 in response to a motion switch 86 (FIG. 7) also
mounted on printed circuit board 22. A speaker 24 disposed within
housing 20 is also coupled to the circuit of printed circuit board
22.
Housing 20 is formed with internal shoulders 40 (FIG. 2). Printed
circuit board 22 rests on shoulders 40. Speaker 24 is disposed on
printed circuit board 22. A cover 26 of plug assembly 14 is mounted
at the top of housing 20 within side walls 30 flush with the
surface of sphere 12. Cover 26 is formed with positioning ribs 42
which contacts speaker 24 maintaining the contents within housing
20 sealed within housing 20 and in place between shoulders 40 and
ribs 42 when cover 26 is secured to housing 20 utilizing screws
44.
Cover 26 is formed with slots 46 therein allowing sound produced by
speaker 24 to emit therethrough. Cover 26 is also formed with a
hole 50 therein for receiving elastic cord 16. Elastic cord 15 is
tied in a knot 52 at one side of cover 26 retaining elastic cord 16
within hole 50.
During operation, toy ball 10 is bounced against a solid object.
Upon impact, LED 32 is illuminated for a predetermined period of
time illuminating sphere 12 giving it an overall glowing effect.
Simultaneously, the circuit of printed circuit board 22 causes
speaker 24 to produce a noise lasting for the duration of the
illumination of sphere 12. Because LED 32 is lenseless, the
undirected light scatters in all directions illuminating all of
sphere 12. In an exemplary embodiment, an opaque pattern such as
dots 55, stars or the like are provided on housing 20. When LED 32
is illuminated, it causes the pattern to be projected upon the
inner surface of sphere 12 so that the pattern appears to the user
when toy ball 10 is bounced.
Reference is now made to FIG. 7 wherein the circuit of printed
circuit board 22 which drives speaker 24 and LED 32 is provided. An
a stable clock 60 includes a first inverter 62 which provides an
output to a capacitor 64. Capacitor 64 is coupled to a second
inverter 66 through a resistor 68. Capacitor 64 also provides an
input to inverter 62 through a resistor 70. A feedback input is
also provided to inverter 62 by inverter 66. In an exemplary
embodiment, the resistance of resistor 68 is substantially ten
times that of resistor 70. Resistor 68 has a resistance of 250
K.OMEGA. while resistor 70 has a resistance of 25 K.OMEGA..
Capacitor 64 has a capacitance of 0.22 .mu.F.
Inverter 72 receives the output of inverter 62 which is a signal
which oscillates at 18 Hz. Inverter 72 provides an oscillating
input to the base of gating transistor 74 through a resistor 76.
The collector of transistor 74 is coupled to battery 78 through a
current limiting resistor 80. Battery 78 is positioned between
resistor 80 and ground. LED 32 is coupled between the emitter of
transistor 74 and the collector of a second transistor 82. The
emitter of transistor 82 is coupled to ground. Battery 78 is also
coupled through a current limiting resistor 84 to a motion switch
86. Motion switch 86 is coupled at one end to a capacitor 88 which
is coupled in parallel to a resistor 90 and ground. In an exemplary
embodiment, capacitor 88 has a capacitance of 0.22 .mu.F and
resistor 90 has a resistance of about 250 K.OMEGA.. Capacitor 88
provides an input to an inverter 92 which is coupled to a stable
clock 60 through a diode 94 providing an input thereto which gates
off astable clock 60. Inverter 92 also provides an input to
inverter 96 which is coupled to the base of transistor 82 through a
resistor 98.
The portion of the circuit described above causes LED 32 to light.
Switch 86 is a motion switch so that when sphere 12 impacts an
object switch 86 momentarily closes coupling battery 78 to
capacitor 88 charging capacitor 88. After impact, switch 88 is
opened and positioned for the next impact. Resistor 90 in
combination with ground acts as a drain for capacitor 88. As
capacitor 88 discharges, capacitor 88 provides high signal inputs
to inverter 92 which outputs a low signal to diode 94 causing
astable clock 60 to output an oscillating signal. Each time the
output of inverter 72 is high, the current produced by resistor 80
and battery 78 passes to LED 32. Simultaneously, inverter 92 is
providing a low output to inverter 96 which in turn provides a high
input signal to transistor 82 completing the circuit extending from
battery 78 to the ground at the emitter of transistor 82 thus
illuminating LED 32 in an oscillating manner. LED 32 is illuminated
and "flickers" due to the oscillating output of inverter 72 for the
time period required to discharge capacitor 88. In a preferred
embodiment, this time period is one or two seconds. The oscillation
occurs at a rate which is slower then the persistence of vision,
lending a less focused and amorphous quality to the light.
Reference is now made to the remainder of FIG. 7 which controls
sound production. Sound chip 102 stores sound data at various
addresses therein which may be pre-input through audio inputs
during the time of manufacture. Sound chip 102 may be chip number
UM 5000 manufactured by the UMC Corporation of Taiwan. Sound chip
102 receives two high signals input from leads 104 and 106. Lead
104 is coupled to capacitor 88 and to battery 78 through switch 86.
Chip 102 is also grounded at four other leads.
The internal clocking of sound chip 102 is provided by the RC
network of capacitor 156 and resistor 154. Capacitor 156 is
connected between ground and lead 150 of sound chip 102. Capacitor
156 is also connected to lead 152 of sound chip 102 through
resistor 154. Resistor 154 is preferably approximately 680 K.OMEGA.
and capacitor 156 is preferably approximately 6800 pF. This
combination maintains operation of sound for the same period of
time as LED 32 is illuminated for. A transistor 110 is coupled to
chip 102 through an RC circuit formed by a resistor 112 and a
capacitor 114. The collector of transistor 110 is coupled to
speaker 24 which in turn is coupled in series with a current
limiting resistor 118, battery 78 and ground. The emitter of
transistor 110 is coupled to ground so that when transistor 110 is
enabled, a current path from battery 78 through speaker 24 to
ground is provided. A sound signal generated by sound chip 102
corresponding to the sound stored at the address indicated by the
input at lead 104 is input to transistor 110 through the RC circuit
formed by resistor 112 and capacitor 114 causing sound to be
generated by speaker 116 in response to the sound signal. In an
exemplary embodiment, resistor 108 has a value of 100 K.OMEGA.,
capacitor 114 has a capacitance of 0.15 pf and resistor 112 has a
value of between 0 and 18 .OMEGA. dependent upon the desired
volume.
During operation, the user of toy ball 10 would insert a finger
through ring 18. The ball is then thrown from the hand extending
elastic cord 16 to its maximum elastic deformation. Cord 16 then
contracts returning the ball to the hand of the user. The impact of
returning toy ball 10 contacting the hand of the user closes motion
switch 86 energizing capacitor 88. Capacitor 88 begins to drain
through resistor 90 while outputting high signals to both inverter
92 and inverter 100. This drives astable clock 60 causing an
oscillating signal to be input to transistor 74 opening a pathway
to LED 32 in an oscillating fashion. Simultaneously, a high signal
is output by inverter 96 opening the pathway of transistor 82
causing LED 32 to be illuminated i.e. to exhibit alternating ON and
OFF states, with the receipt of each high signal of the oscillating
signal input to transistor 74. This lighting continues for a brief
period of time, one or two seconds, the time required to drain
capacitor 88.
Simultaneously, a sound is generated in response to the inputs
provided to sound chip 102. Sound chip 102, in response to the
input at terminal 104, produces a sound signal which is output
through the RC circuit providing a high signal to transistor 110
opening a pathway through speaker 24 causing speaker 24 to emit a
sound simultaneously with the lighting of LED 32. Because the time
duration is short, two seconds or less, the light and sound are
extinguished prior to the return of the ball to its starting point.
This encourages the user to bounce the ball again in order to make
toy ball 10 light and make a sound.
Motion switch 86 would also be caused to close if the ball were
thrown against a solid object such as the floor, a wall or another
person in playing a game such as dodge ball or catch. Additionally,
as can be seen, the lighting circuitry and the sound generating
circuitry act independently of each other so that the ball may
include either a sound only feature or a light only feature
depending upon a desired results. Further, the ball of toy ball 10
is shown as an exemplary embodiment. The toy will operate equally
as well without elastic cord 16 so that the toy ball need only
include sphere 12 and plug 14 to operate.
Reference is now made to FIG. 5 wherein a toy ball generally
indicated as 200, constructed in accordance with a second
embodiment of the invention is depicted. Toy ball 200 is similar to
toy ball 10, the primary difference being the inclusion of a cross
bar in toy ball 200 to which elastic cord 16 is affixed. Like
numerals are utilized to indicate like structures in FIG. 5.
A cross bar 202 is affixed across cover 204 utilizing screws 44.
Cross bar 202 is formed with a centered hole 206 which receives
elastic cord 16. Again, a knot is tied at the free end of elastic
cord 16 to maintain elastic cord 16 within hole 206.
Reference is now made to FIG. 6 wherein a toy ball generally
indicated as 300, constructed in accordance with a third embodiment
of the invention is depicted. Toy ball 300 is similar to toy ball
200 the primary difference being the substitution of a solid bar
for the elastic cord providing an overall scepter effect. Again,
like numerals are utilized to indicate like structure.
A bar 306 is integrally formed with a cross bar 308. Cross bar 308
is affixed to cover 204 utilizing the screws 44 utilized to affix
cover 204 to housing 20. A decorative plate 310 suitable for
imprinting or molding with an emblem or a figure is integrally
formed at the other end of bar 306 providing an overall scepter
appearance for toy ball 300. In such an embodiment, the user grabs
toy ball 300 by the handle provided by bar 306 and strikes a solid
object with sphere 12 of ball 300 causing toy ball 300 to become
illuminated and to produce a sound.
By providing a toy ball having a light source and a sound source
contained therein each activated by a switch upon impact with a
solid object increased play value is provided by the ball.
Additionally, utilizing a capacitor and drain to drive the circuit
for a limited time, the user is encouraged to continue bouncing the
ball to continue lighting the ball and making the sound, thus
reducing the boredom factor and increasing the play time. By
providing a transparent housing for the light source which includes
a pattern imprinted thereon which is projected onto the sphere of
the ball during use, the play value is even further enhanced.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above
description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention
herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention
which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
therebetween.
* * * * *